Thursday, March 28, 2013

Holy Week ~ Holy Life

pic taken from the internet

Ephesians 5:8 “But be filled with the Spirit”

It would seem I am on a Sabbatical. This is the time I am
reflective as my New Year is coming on Easter Sunday.

I’m strange that way, you know. I never celebrate the New
Year on January 1st because really all that is, is a calendar
change. A man-made calendar no less. Easter on the calendar is a man-made
holiday, but spiritually it is so much more to me.

I know many of my readers are not Christians, per se, and
whatever you believe is fine with me. Don’t judge me and I will surely not
judge you and your faith/beliefs/religion.

When I was a child, I was being raised as a Catholic. We
were in no way devout Catholics, we went to Church, not as a family, but to put
our little envelope in the offering plate, so we’d have reduced tuition for our
Catholic school upbringing. Is THAT where I found God? I’m sorry to say, no. It
is where I was introduced to Him, but not where I FOUND Him.

Later, when I was about 13 years old, I was sent to a
Christian school for my high school years, this is the place I FOUND not only
God, but Jesus, in action. I turned myself over to Him and became a born-again
Christian, a foreign term to my family. They assumed it meant I was going to be
weirded out and a ‘Holy-Roller’ in the process. By no means is that what being
born-again means!

(Author’s note: I use the term Holy Roller loosely because
we lived across the street from a Church of God, and the people of that church worshiped nightly, praising God.To
each his own.)

Being born-again, means turning your life over to Christ and
allowing Him to live in your soul, via the Holy Spirit. In a sense, I did get
weirded out, because I was no longer bound to ‘mans’ law, I was bound by God’s
laws.

Did becoming a Christian make me a sinless person? Again, by
no means. Instead it made me aware of being a sinner; awakened me to my sins. I
call myself a Spiritual Christian, only because the Spirit lives and dwells in
me, making me aware of all of my surroundings, my actions in life, my mistakes
and most clearly, my sins.

I have found inner peace, I am one with nature and the
universe, but note I believe that God is the driving force of inner peace,
nature and the universe. These truths can be found in the Holy Bible, Old and
New Testament, and while many will retort, “The Bible is man made.” I will
reply, yes it is, man made, God inspired. Can you deny that? I mean really, I’m
a writer with a creative mind, but even I couldn’t come up with the stuff in
the Holy Bible and have ancient artiFACTS to back up the testimony, no less.

Matt.
13: 9 “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.”

That means, since the formation of Earth and before, there
has been something out there divinely inspiring us to be better people, to be
aware of our surroundings, to be awake in a world that sleeps in the closet
called materialistic/consumerism/media-driven life.

So where did I find this ‘Jesus’? I didn’t find Him in a
school, a church or even a book, I found Him in…my soul. He was there all the
time, I just needed to awaken that spirit, to come alive in me, and practice
all that He was showing me.

“…you have to be willing to sacrifice everything to follow
God and to follow what He’s called you to do.” ~Patricia Heaton

Ten years ago, I did one of the scariest things in my
Christian adult life. I gave up everything: my home, all the materials in the
home, my husband, and many cherished belongings. I kept my most precious gift
and that was my son and I swept him away because God was calling me to do
something. Something against my nature and everything I had been raised to
believe, and put my entire trust in Him and where He was leading me.

I could not see where He was leading me and it took a few
years to grasp what it was He would have me do, but as I sit here now, ten
years later, I have clarity and celebrate the New Year this Sunday as a
continuation of my faith, beliefs, and trust in the only being that trusted me,
100%, no questions or doubts.

Throughout the ten years, I was brought into a church, I
rejoice with like-minded people, and God’s grace showed me that not ALL
churches are built on hypocrisy. Each Church, He chose for us, we attended, and
found Spirit-led people, who loved and honored Christ.

In 2007: Roundgrove United Methodist Church (Lewisville
Texas), Grace United Church (Lewisville Texas), to the place we praise and
worship now, 2009-present: Efree Evangelical Church

As many of you will celebrate Easter in dressy dresses, new
shoes, beautifully done hair and accessories, I will walk into church with the
same clothes I always wear. Why? Because God accepts me as I AM!

I have changed a lot since I was fourteen and coming to
Christ, but one thing that hasn’t changed has been this; I live by the Spirit
and will die by the Spirit. Whether you believe or not, we are all
interconnected and EVERY-THING happens for a reason.

May the Spirit that lies within you be awakened and guide
you through your life. It’s a journey worth living.

Godspeed!

Luke 11:9 "And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek,
and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."